Circuit arrangement having a converter without a transformer but with an inductor for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps
Circuit arrangement having a converter without a transformer but with an inductor for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps The circuit arrangement according to the invention comprises an inductor-type converter for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps (EL). The invention proposes both a half bridge variant and a full bridge variant. By selecting the inductance value of the inductor (L), it is possible to influence the edge steepness of the pulses, in the case of more than one inductor even independently for the rising and falling edges.
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement having a converter without a transformer but with at least one inductor for the pulsed operation of a dielectric barrier discharge lamp. In addition, the invention is aimed at a lighting system having this converter circuit and a dielectric barrier discharge lamp as well as a corresponding operating method.
The term “dielectric barrier discharge lamp” is in this case to be understood as a general term, i.e. it is not merely restricted to lamps emitting in the range of the electromagnetic spectrum which is visible to the human eye. Instead, in this case radiators based on dielectric barrier discharge are also included which, in addition or even predominantly, emit outside this range, in particular also in the ultraviolet range and vacuum ultraviolet range.
From an electrical engineering point of view, dielectric barrier discharge lamps have a predominantly capacitive characteristic owing to the dielectric barrier. A parallel circuit comprising a first capacitance and a series circuit comprising a second capacitance and a nonreactive resistance is therefore usually assumed as a simple equivalent circuit diagram. While the dielectric barrier discharge lamp has not yet been started, the nonreactive resistance has a practically infinite value, i.e. initially only the first capacitance takes effect. However, as soon as the lamp is started, the nonreactive resistance assumes a finite value and therefore interacts with the second capacitance connected in series. Owing to the capacitive component, dielectric barrier discharge lamps can only be operated with a voltage which changes over time, for example a sinusoidal voltage, particularly preferably in a pulsed manner within the meaning of U.S. 5,604,410.
The inductor-type converter according to the invention is used for the purpose of operating dielectric barrier discharge lamps in a pulsed manner within the meaning of U.S. 5,604,410.
BACKGROUND ARTDielectric barrier discharge lamps (also referred to as dielectrically impeded discharge lamps or occasionally silent discharge lamps) are known per se, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,849 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,155. They need to be operated by an electronic ballast which can apply high-voltage pulses iteratively to the discharge lamp. However, the invention is also directed at ballasts for other lamp types, which can be operated by iteratively generated voltage pulses and in the case of which there is a capacitive characteristic as in the case of dielectrically impeded discharges. In this regard, the term “dielectric barrier discharge lamp” can also be understood as being broadened to include such lamps and in particular also encompass all discharge lamps in which at least one electrode is arranged outside the discharge vessel.
The specification U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,600 B1 has disclosed a class E converter, also referred to as a flyback converter, for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps. One disadvantage is the fact that the required core volume for the transformer or the input inductor increases with the lamp power. In addition, the range within which a connected lamp can be dimmed is relatively small.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONThe object of the present invention is to provide an alternative circuit arrangement for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps.
This object is achieved by a circuit arrangement for the pulsed operation of a discharge lamp, in particular a dielectric barrier discharge lamp, having an inductor-type converter having
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- a first switch branch and a second switch branch,
- each switch branch comprising a series circuit comprising a switch, a current valve and an inductance,
- a lamp branch, which has an inductance connected to the center point of the series circuit,
- the free terminal of this inductance being provided for connection to the first terminal of a discharge lamp,
- it being possible for up to two of the in total three inductances also to assume the value zero.
- a first switch branch and a second switch branch,
Particularly advantageous refinements are given in the dependent claims.
The basic concept of the invention consists in dispensing with the transformer of the previous converter concepts for the pulsed operation of dielectric barrier discharge lamps and, instead of this, feeding the dielectric barrier discharge lamp directly with at least one inductance. In this case, the lamp is connected to a supply voltage by means of active components for a period of time which can be set and is then isolated bidirectionally from this supply voltage. In addition, it makes it possible for the circuit arrangement according to the invention to apply a voltage, which may be higher than the supply voltage, to the dielectric barrier discharge lamp for a period of time which can be set.
The mentioned inductance is generally realized by an inductor according to the invention, for which reason, for reasons of simplicity, the term “inductor-type converter” mentioned at the outset will be used below. However, said inductance may under certain circumstances also be realized by the inductance of the lamp feed line if the line inductance is sufficiently high. However, at least one additional inductor is generally required.
The fact that the converter transformer has been dispensed with provides, inter alia, a cost advantage since inductors are more cost-effective than transformers. In addition to this there is the improved compactness of the circuit arrangement owing to the typically six to ten times smaller dimensions of the inductors used here compared to a transformer of a class E converter. By selecting the inductance it is possible to achieve steeper edges of the voltage pulses using the inductor-type converter according to the invention without having to compromise on the pulse width. Higher starting voltages compared to the class E converter can be achieved by resonant voltage escalation. Finally, it is not necessary for the energy fed into the lamp to be completely buffer-stored in the inductive components since the lamp current is drawn at times from the voltage supply. The inductive components in the circuit arrangement according to the invention can therefore have smaller dimensions. The optional use of more than one inductor provides the advantage of being able to adjust the rising and falling edges of the voltage pulse at the lamp independently of one another by the corresponding inductance values. This and further details are explained in more detail in the description of the figures.
In general, the circuit arrangement according to the invention can be split roughly into two classes. For pulse generation, the first variant uses in principle two switch branches, which are connected in series, are fed from an electrical supply source, are operated or driven alternately in the manner of a half bridge and are therefore referred to as a half-bridge inductor-type converter below for reasons of simplicity. Each switch branch contains one or more switches which are connected in series, for example controllable semiconductor switches such as transistors, in particular FETs (field effect transistors), IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors) or the like. Owing to the fact that a plurality of switches are connected in series, it is possible to alleviate the disadvantage associated, in principle, with this variant of the high reverse withstand voltage required. Otherwise, switches with a high blocking capability are required which typically withstand approximately 2 kV reverse voltage. With the aid of the first switch branch, the discharge lamp is connected for a short period of time to the electrical supply via an inductor (state of the first switch branch: “closed”). In this case, a current pulse flows through the inductor and the lamp (as long as the lamp has not yet been started, as a pure displacement current). Then, the lamp is again isolated from the electrical supply at the current zero crossing (state of the first switch branch: “open”). Subsequently, optionally after an interval time which can be set, a circuit which is isolated from the electrical supply source and comprises the lamp and the inductor is closed with the aid of the second switch branch, and a current pulse having a reverse polarity flows through the inductor and the lamp. Then, this circuit is again interrupted at the current zero crossing (state of the second switch branch: “open”, in the case of real switches, for example MOSFETs with an integrated freewheeling diode, “reverse blocking” by means of a current valve, for example a diode, connected in series). Subsequently, optionally after an interval time which can be set, the lamp is again connected to the electrical supply via the inductor etc.
For pulse generation, the second variant uses in principle two times two switch branches connected in series, a diagonal switch branch pair always being driven alternately with the other diagonal switch branch pair in the manner of a full bridge and therefore being referred to below, for reasons of simplicity, as a full-bridge inductor-type converter. In this case, the lamp is therefore connected to the electrical supply source alternately by means of a diagonal switch branch pair and via at least one inductor with alternating polarity. The current pulses of alternating polarity generated in this manner can optionally be separated from one another by an interval time which can be set, as in the case of the half bridge variant. In the full bridge variant, the voltage load on the individual switch is correspondingly lower, but in general two switches more need to be used than in the half bridge variant. One further advantage of the full-bridge inductor-type converter in comparison with the half-bridge inductor-type converter is the fact that there is less interference radiation from the dielectric barrier discharge lamp since only lower interference currents flow when there is an appropriate design of the components.
If the switches in the switch branches are implemented by transistors with an integrated freewheeling diode, for example MOSFETs, in each case one current valve, which allows the current to flow only in one direction, for example a diode, is connected in series in each switch branch. In this manner, a blocking effect is ensured in both flow directions in the “open” switch state in this case, too.
The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. In the figures:
In order to describe the manner in which the basic circuit shown in
For this purpose, the switch-on time is longer than the current pulse.
Finally, a third variant (not illustrated) having three inductors can be created as a combination of the variants illustrated in
Claims
1. A circuit arrangement for the pulsed operation of a discharge lamp, in particular a dielectric barrier discharge lamp, having an inductor-type converter having a first switch branch and a second switch branch, each switch branch comprising a series circuit comprising a switch, a current valve and an inductance, a lamp branch, which has an inductance connected to a center point of the series circuit, a free terminal of the inductance of the lamp branch being provided for connection to a first terminal of the discharge lamp, wherein at least one of the inductances does not assume the value zero; and wherein there is no diode connected in parallel to any switch branch.
2. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, a constant potential of a circuit arrangement being provided for connection to the second terminal of the discharge lamp.
3. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, having an additional series circuit comprising a third switch branch and a fourth switch branch, the additional series circuit being connected in parallel with the series circuit comprising the two first switch branches, the third switch branch and the fourth switch branch each comprising a series circuit comprising a switch, a current valve and an inductance, an inductance, which is connected to the center point of the additional series circuit, the free terminal of this inductance being provided for connection to the second terminal of the discharge lamp.
4. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, which is of symmetrical design with respect to the terminals provided for connection to a discharge lamp.
5. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which the four current valves are withdrawn from the switch branches and are replaced by two current valves, one in each of the two feed lines to the parallel circuit comprising the two series circuits with the in total four switch branches.
6. The circuit arrangement as claimed claim 3 having a capacitor, which is connected to the terminals provided for connection to a discharge lamp.
7. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, the capacitor being replaced by a series circuit comprising two capacitors, and the center point of this series circuit being connected to a constant potential of the circuit arrangement, for example to the circuit ground.
8. A method for operating a circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, alternately the switches of the respective switch branches connected to one another diagonally being operated synchronously.
9. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the current valves being in the form of diodes.
10. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the switches being in the form of transistors.
11. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the inductances in the switch branches being in the form of inductors.
12. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the inductance(s) in the lamp branch being in the form of an inductor/inductors or in the form of a feed line with a suitable feed line inductance.
13. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, two or more switches being connected in series into the switch branches and being envisaged for synchronous actuation.
14. A lighting system having a circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 and a dielectric barrier discharge lamp, whose two terminals are connected to the terminals of the circuit arrangement provided for this purpose.
15. A method for operating a discharge lamp having a circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, the switches of the two switch branches being operated alternately, in each case optionally with an interval in-between.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15, the switches being opened in currentless fashion.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 12, 2006
Date of Patent: Apr 8, 2008
Patent Publication Number: 20070018590
Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH (München)
Inventors: Karl Kyrberg (München), Arnulf Rupp (Oberhaching), Oskar Schallmoser (Ottobrunn)
Primary Examiner: Haissa Philogene
Assistant Examiner: Tung X Le
Attorney: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, P.C.
Application Number: 11/485,231
International Classification: H05B 37/02 (20060101);